Ray LaHood to lead investigation into JFK flight fiasco

NEW YORK – The former head of the Department of Transportation during the Obama administration will lead an investigation into a slew of problems at John F. Kennedy International Airport that caused days of cancellations and delays.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced Wednesday that Ray LaHood will begin his investigation next week.

The chaos started Thursday, when a winter storm hit New York amid unusually cold weather. Some terminal gates got tied up, leading to a backlog of international flights trying to get in and out. The freezing temperatures impacted equipment.

Then a water main burst and flooded a terminal Sunday.

LaHood served as transportation secretary from 2009 to 2013. He is currently a senior policy adviser at the law firm DLA Piper.